Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. In honour of recognizing International Women’s Day, I wanted to take a moment in honouring the late Elder, Mary Agnes Bonnetrouge, who is featured in the book Nohecho keh, Our Elders, and these are the words that she shared.

Mary Agnes Bonnetrouge was:

“Born at the first lake, near Horn River, in the autumn of 1916. When I was a child, my uncle and aunt would take me hunting with them, by boat. He shot moose, and she made drymeat, and we ate very well. I remember the land being so beautiful then, as though it were newly created. In the springtime, only the bird song call of the ducks broke the tranquility.

Today, that peace is gone. Our land is torn up and destroyed, because of mining and exploration. The Dene gain nothing. We don't understand, and are left out in the cold.

I was educated at the mission, but as soon as I was old enough, I returned to my parents. My mother was blind, so it was hard for me to learn how to work. I used to watch others.

After I was married, I lived between Mills Lake and Big Point, wherever there was fish.

I have had many sad times in my life. I have lost two husbands, and some of my children. I think of them, still.

When my children were small, life was very hard. I had to depend on my eldest son to provide for the younger children, but then he was sent away to the hospital for three years. My children could not fend for themselves at all. I had to pack one of them on my back, and go and set snares.

At that time, if you lived in town, you were entitled to a ration. I used to get one scoop of flour, one of tea, one of sugar, and some oats. That was to last for one month. Can you imagine living like that?

Sometimes, we had no candles, and I had to sit in the dark with my little children. Those were, in truth, the saddest times in my life.

I am so glad that my children are all happily married. We must always communicate with our children, and teach them well. It is too late to try, when they are already grown.

Whenever I see children living well, I always think to myself, 'They must have listened to their parents well.’”

The words of the late elder, Mary Agnes Bonnetrouge, from Fort Providence. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.